


boys will be

by popunkarts



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Canon Compliant, Canon Het Relationship, F/M, Feminist Themes, Gen, Minor Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber Pulitzer, Tickling, boys being delinquents, catcalling, for once, katherine is the big sister, or kind of like kath gives them a talk, theres like a little tickle fight bc i didnt want it to stay heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 04:53:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18491746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/popunkarts/pseuds/popunkarts
Summary: boys will be b̶o̶y̶s̶ held accountable for their own actions, learned or original.





	boys will be

**Author's Note:**

> I had a thought about Katherine overhearing her boys catcalling women as a past time and how Muckraker Katherine Plumber would NOT stand for such behavior, especially from boys she holds so close to her heart. enjoy.

She didn’t mean to be so harsh.

She surely startled Blink enough that he ran off when she grabbed Race by the back of his shirt and yanked him from the stoop, Romeo’s sleeve clutched in her hand as Elmer walked in front of them. 

Race hadn’t meant to shout at her from across the street, either.

They had been sitting on the stoop of the Lodging house, Race smoking his cigar as Blink and Romeo played jacks and Elmer chattered excitedly. Their day of selling had ended, and it was slightly too early for cheap dinner, the stuff Jacobi was going to throw out or to see if the nuns had any new donations. So, they perched on their stoop and relaxed, picking beautiful women as they passed, shouting things they considered compliments.

“Hey, sweetheart! Awfully short heels for such long legs. Think you could show off a little more?” At least Romeo was almost age appropriate, calling to a young brunette as she hurried by them. He got no reaction, the woman didn’t seem appalled in the slightest that a ten-year-old had called out to her.

“Hey miss, you got a cradle? I’s sure we could make a baby for it.” Elmer was subtle, but that had probably been stolen from Race’s extensive vocabulary of innuendo. There was still hope he didn’t fully understand what he was saying at nine years old to a teenager. Jack and Katherine could figure that talk out later.

“Hey, red! The curtains match the carpet? Can I check em out?”

Race was classic and still gross but what made it all the more infuriating was the smirk on his freckled face as he said it. 

Katherine’s blood boiled and she turned toward them, mouth open with a fiery tongue lashing ready until her eyes fell on who exactly it was that called her.

Romeo was on the top step of the pharmacy entrance behind Race, blanching as he noticed it was Katherine who his brother had made such a comment at. Blink sat in front of him, looking entirely uncomfortable. Race chewed his cigar, glancing between her and the passerby’s as if he was hoping to either disappear into the crowd or she would suddenly move along, pretending it went unheard because the look on his face so appropriately explained he obviously didn’t mean for it to be her that heard it. 

Just as she marched across the street toward them, Blink took off from his spot on the step behind Race. He had a better idea, clearly, as Katherine yanked Race up by the back of his shirt and grabbed Romeo’s right sleeve just as he made a move to follow him.

“Hey! I didn’t even do nothin’!” Romeo yelped as his sleeve tore. “Kathy, this is the only one without holes!”

“I’ll fix it later.” She looked at Elmer, “well, I don’t have a third hand. Get to walking, kid.”

They barely made it down the block before Race started complaining. “You don’t need to hold onto my shirt, Kathy, I swear. ‘M not goin anywhere. It’s Elmer you need to worry about-“

“You hush up!”Elmer smacked Race’s arm, dodging his return swat.

“Hey, boys! I suggest you don’t fight each other.”Katherine pulled Race a bit further away, gentle enough that he didn’t fall. His growth spurt may have hit, but as skinny as he was he didn’t try and fight her on it. “Not one of you is in trouble.”

They breathed a collective sigh of relief before she added “all three of you are. Or both of you.” She glanced at Elmer and Romeo, “I haven’t quite decided yet.”

She could see Race’s face turn into a scowl for a moment before she let go of his shirt. He adjusted himself, walking beside now her rather than in front of her. “How’re you gonna punish us? Not talk to us like you do with Jack when you’s angry?”

“I’m not going to igno-I don’t punish Jack!” Katherine rolled her eyes. “He’s my friend, not my son!”

“Don’t girlfriends or boyfriends punish each other when they get mad? Ain’t that the whole thing? Like you two go a while without havin-“

“Anthony! Finish that thought and I’ll personally see to it you’re kept out of Brooklyn for a month.”She nearly growled next to his ear, threatening despite her blush. Race glanced back and smirked at her reddened cheeks as she scoffed, gently pushing him left toward the lodging house. 

“Oh good, he’s outside!”She smiled brightly despite her anger when she saw Jack leaned back on the Lodging house front stairs talking to Davey. 

They had worked long enough to afford a small apartment in the lower east side of Manhattan without her father’s help, not too far away from the Lodging house as they agreed; the boys still needed them. A little part of her knew Jack was hesitant to leave the House at all, as he still spent most evenings and some nights at lodging before he would come home to her. 

She didn’t mind.  
You learn to love the newsies, they had a habit of growing on you if you spent enough time with them.  
They were just kids. 

“Hey fellas,” It was as if he hadn’t noticed Katherine literally holding onto two of them. “And, lady.”He practically purred at her, earning a mocking gag from Race.

“Jack, these three-”

“Four,” Romeo spoke up from her left side. “Blink was sittin with us. He ran.”

“Don’t snitch, what’s wrong with you!” Race hissed. “You know better.”

“These four-” Katherine corrected, “-thank you, Romeo--spent their afternoon shouting absolutely obscene things at the ladies passing by.”Katherine finally let go of their shirts, taking a moment to inspect Romeo’s torn sleeve. He yanked away from her and she frowned.

“What were you saying, boys?”Jack rose an eyebrow, looking at Race first.

Romeo’s mouth opened but Race spoke before he could. “Just payin our compliments, y’know. You say if a lady looks pretty you should let her know, right, Jack?”

“That’s it?”The corner of Jack’s mouth turned upward in a smirk as Race side-eyed Elmer and Romeo. He looked to them, “You two say anything you shouldn’t’ve?”

Kath looked expectantly at Romeo standing to her right, ever the truth teller. Elmer shook his head and he followed suit, dark curls bouncing.

“Romeo!” Katherine exclaimed in shock before she could stop herself. The younger boy flinched at the noise, her demeanor softening as his eyes shone with tears he tried to hide.

“What’d ya get them to say, Racer?”Jack looked at the eldest boy, eyebrow raised.

“I didn’t get them to say anything.” Race chuckled, a certain calmness best for poker in his voice. “They made stuff up, Jacky.” He took his cigar from his mouth and shrugged nonchalantly. “Heels and legs, babies for cradles. The usual.“

“Curtains for carpet!”Katherine interrupted Race, “I mean, like he was yelling a headline, too! Just no shame-!”

Jack laughed.

Katherine frowned.

He laughed.

Even Davey, who had been sitting quietly to avoid Katherine’s wrath let out a dry chuckle.

“That’s classic, Racer. What unlucky lady had you yellin those old lines at her?”

“Me!” She tried to stay calm. “Racer, take Ro and Elmer upstairs, would you?”

“Uh oh.”Race sang as he nudged Romeo and Elmer to walk past Jack and Davey. “Guess Jack’s in trouble now. Give ‘em hell, Kathy!”

“That’s enough from you! Go, Race, I’m serious.” She was frustrated, there was no hiding it now. First, having been shouted at set in her fight or flight instinct, but to see Race so proud of himself hurt in a different way. He was a good enough kid, he was sweet to those around him. 

She couldn’t think of anything that made him do it that wasn’t learned behavior-

“You do it too, don’t you?”She asked softly, staring Jack down.

“We all do it, Kath,” Davey admitted, nervously scratching the back of his neck. “It kind of becomes a habit… a-uh..a rite of passage if you will-”

“I don’t…I don’t need you to mitigate, Davey.” She spoke slowly, dangerously. “Jack. You do it too.” 

It was less of a question, his amusement answered her. 

Jack’s laughter had settled down, his tone still amused. “We all do it, Kathy. We grab her attention, we sold the pape, we wait until the next one comes by-“

Katherine rose her hand to stop him, shaking her head. “Jack,” She spoke in near disbelief. “Jack, that’s gross. Do you understand that? It’s disgusting!”

“I’m sure if anybody had real issue with it, they’d let us know.” He shrugged it off and stood. ”Saying it or swinging it, no less. I’ve had a few shiners from a lady before.”

“You’re going to talk yourself into another,” Davey muttered, and making Jack scoff.

“What they said, it ain’t worth a shiner.” He reached for Katherine’s waist to pull her close, smile faltering when she pushed his hands away. 

“If you said something to get you a black eye, Jack, don’t you think you’re no better than the Delanceys?” She hit him where it hurt, but she had to make him hear what he was saying.

“Hey! The Delanceys was picking on innocent people for Snyder and Weasel.” He furrowed his eyebrows at her. “They’s nothing but a bunch of thugs.”

“And you seem like such gentlemen?” She shook her head as he crossed his arms. “They did the same thing, Jack.”

“They ain’t never called you, Ace.” He said sure, leaning back against the stoop. “We ain’t followin nobody like they do. We ain’t huntin none, either.”

“They did call me! Multiple times!” She took a deep breath, looking at Davey. “If Les’ started it, get him out of it. Now. Before he calls the wrong one and has to deal with what he said.”

Davey nodded, walking into Lodging without another word.

Jack waved his hand,“I’m sure nobody fights a kid-“

“They do, Jack. And what makes it worse is that they usually only do it because the kid has it coming!” Katherine sat on the step. “Why do you think I walked to work with Darcy every morning? Huh?”

“I dunno.” He tiled his head from side to side as if he was thinking it over. “I’ll take a guess. He was nice enough to walk with ya, and was the only one who could keep up with your running to and from place to place.”

“Because I was followed to work, Jack.” She clenched her jaw, angry with herself for the tears in her eyes. “It only happened once, but he followed me all the way from uptown all the way down to the Sun’s office. I was by myself and I was terrified.”

He nodded, looking out at the street. “None of my boys would ever…”

“I know. But they don’t know that.”

He nodded slowly, looking at the ground. “So I should talk to them.”

“Yes, Jack, you should.” She tried not to grow impatient too quickly, but he made it hard.

“What am I suppose’ta say?”

She shook her head. “I’ll talk to those three.” She laughed lightly, “Lord knows I owe Romeo an apology.”

“He’s still a little soft.”Jack looked at her, shrugging. “He’s just not used to you yet.”

“Did you see the way he looked at me?” She tuttted. “Oh, god, it was like I broke his heart in half, Jack.”She rose a hand to clutch her chest, slumping against him “I did that to Smalls once and I thought I was going to cry too!”

“He’ll live.”He chuckled, “I think he’s angrier about you tearin his shirt, honest. He really likes that one.”

Katherine thumped him playfully as she stood up, stopping when he grabbed her ankle. “Can I help you, sir?”

“Uh, a kiss, mam?” He rose his eyebrows. “For terrorizin my boys and lecturin me? You can spare a second.”

“Uh, after you talk to them!”She shook him off. “I need to see that it didn’t just go in one ear and out the other. Besides, you had your chance while I was down there.”

Jack followed her up the stairs to the second-floor sleeping area, snorting at the sight of Race and Albert picking on Elmer and Romeo, Blink sitting on the bunk above, laughing at their antics.

“Listen to this one! So loud for someone you can’t hear selling a pape!” Albert wiggled his fingers into Elmer’s sides, scrunching his face up as the younger squealed and started to giggle.

“Same here!” Race pinched Romeo’s sides and laughed loudly as he crumbled to the floor. “Got a lot of energy for someone who can’t run up a block without heavin’ all of a sudden!”

“Hey!”Jack spoke over the panicky laughter of the younger newsies, snorting as Elmer squealed again. “Albert, knock it off before ya kill him.”

“He’s fine.” Albert scoffed, letting Elmer go with one last poke. “You’re runin the fun, Jack.”

Katherine didn’t miss the way Romeo’s laughter died down first, shifting himself so he was almost totally hidden behind Race. 

“Kathy’s gotta talk to yous,” Jack corrected himself when she looked at him, “I mean, we gotta talk to yous. Albert an’ Blink, yous free to go.”

Albert, sixteen in age but eight at heart, stuck his tongue out at Race as he walked around the bed, knocking his hat off as he passed him. 

“Keep bothering people and you’re next.”Jack nudged him as he walked out the door behind them. Blink hurried along after them, thankful he was not going to be included in what he probably assumed was Katherine’s nearing tirade. 

Race let Romeo sit behind him on the bottom bunk, Elmer sitting on the older boy’s other side. Jack and Katherine sat across from them on Smalls’ usual bunk.

“So we’s in trouble?” Race rose an eyebrow, smirking at Jack.

“Shut up, would you? Show a little respect.” He looked at Katherine, not quite knowing what to say.

She took a deep breath and started. “What you did today on the stairs? That was gross.”

“We didn’t do anythin-”

“You were acting like the Delanceys.”Katherine rose her eyebrows as Race sat up straight. “Like you didn’t know any better. I know you two are learning and following what he’s doing,” She looked at Elmer and Romeo before looking directly at Race. “But I know you do, Race. How many times do I have to tell you?”

Race shifted uncomfortably, breaking eye contact so slightly to look at the wall behind her.  
Katherine would have smiled, realizing she was able to break his poker face.  
He taught her what to do if she needed to lie better than she already did, his tricks useless against her now.

As Jack spoke, Katherine watched Romeo closely. He was shying behind Race, looking smaller than usual. He was scared, no doubt, and it broke her heart she had made him feel that way.

“You got anything else to say?” Jack nudged her, making her jump.

“Oh!” She cleared her throat, shaking her head. “No, I think I’m- just stop doing it, okay? You’re not the Delanceys, right?” She looked at all three of them as they nodded. “Act better than them.”

Race nodded again, not meeting their eyes. Elmer was the first to hop off the bed, likely going to find something to do somewhere where he wasn’t going to get himself in trouble. Race attempted to stand, Romeo clinging onto his shirt.

“Hey, get off, I’m gonna go get dinner.” He tried to reach behind him to pull his hands off. “Romeo, knock it off-“

“No!”He spoke up, his voice cracking.

“Hey, you’s okay.”Jack walked to the other bed, peeling Romeo’s hands off of Race’s shirt and freeing the teenager. “It’s just us.Me, you and Kath.”

Romeo threw himself into Jack’s lap, whimpering into his chest. Jack wrapped him in his arms protectively, rocking softly.

Katherine moved to sit at the edge of the bed, looking at the smaller boy. “Ro?” She spoke softly, wringing her fingers in her lap. “Romeo.” She spoke up, “You’re okay. You don’t have to be scared of me. I would never, ever do anything to hurt you.”

“You hear her?”Jack rubbed his back soothingly. “She ain’t gonna hurt you. Remember what I told you? Any friend of mine’s a friend of yours too, kid.”

Romeo looked up at her and nodded slowly. Katherine reached her hand out, smiling as he let her hug him tightly.

“And all you have to do for me is stop saying everything the boys say,” She pet his hair down with the hand that wasn’t holding him close, continuing. “Aaand let me fix your shirt. Does that sound like a good deal?”

He nodded, squirming when she squeezed him to her tightly.

“Oh, sorry!”She quickly let go of him, raising her hand off of him. “Did I hurt- I didn’t mean to-“

“You’se ticklin him.” Jack snorted, shaking his head. “Race and Albert got him all wired up.”

“They do not!” Romeo protested, squirming again when Katherine gave his side another experimental but soft squeeze. 

She couldn’t help a giggle as he sprung up off of the bed and darted to the door, calling after him, “Hey! Eat something, Romeo! It’s getting late.”

“Now, you and I, Missus Pulitzer,”Jack smiled smugly at her, leaning forward on his hands. “I believe I got a kiss waiting?”

“We get home and make dinner, I’ll see to it you get more than just a kiss.”She winked, standing up as he leaned a bit closer to her. “C’mon, Jackie. I’m hungry.”

Jack groaned, falling forward onto the mattress dramatically as she tossed her head back and laughed at his theatrics. “You may be keepin all them in line, but you’s gonna be the death of me, Kathy Pulitzer.”


End file.
